Pride
by SlytherinForLife77
Summary: There it was. The full name at that too. Sirius' voice was one hundred times louder than it normally is, and that's saying a lot. The Slytherin table all turned their heads towards Harry and smirked at him in unison, getting excited for yet another show on Howler Embarrassment. A Sirius raises Harry fanfic, and reacts to the flying a car to school incident.


**Ok, so this one-shot is what would have happened if Sirius had raised Harry instead of the Dursleys' and how he would have reacted to the whole flying a car to school scenario. Enjoy!**

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"**I'm going to run this race to hear you say 'Well done.'"**

**Anonymous**

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**Pride**

Harry sat quietly in Professor McGonagall's office staring timidly at his hands. He was going to get expelled. He knew it. It wasn't even his fault. It was the barrier. It wouldn't let him through! And he wanted was to get back to Hogwarts.

He would never again see where his dad had lived, or sit in the classrooms his mother had sat in. He would never again learn what his parents had learned before they died. He had messed up. Messed up bad. Hogwarts was the one place he could learn about his parents. It was the one place he felt like he knew them.

He would become like Hagrid. Only have his wand in the shape of a pink flower umbrella. No, he wanted to be a wizard! He didn't just want it, he needed it!

No, Sirius would teach him, he knew it. Sirius wouldn't let him live wandless. No, Sirius would let him use his wand after the ministry took his own. What type of Godfather would Sirius be if he didn't let Harry borrow his wand?

All he had wanted was to be like his dad. He wanted to be known for the boy that came to school in a flying car. He didn't want to be the boy who lived, or the boy with no parents.

He didn't think any muggles would see. He had been plenty careful. But apparently not careful enough.

Was it bad that Harry ached for Sirius to be proud of him? No, he didn't want him to be proud of his grades. No, he wanted Sirius to be proud because he was just like his father had been.

He wondered what Sirius would do if he found out. He wouldn't yell at him, would he? No, but he wouldn't be proud, seven muggles had seen them!

Harry gave a deep sigh and bit into his sandwich. He glanced over at Ron half-heartedly. He looked just as stressed as Harry was. Right now he wasn't sure who had more at stake. Ron or Harry?

Ron had to live up to his parents high expectations created by his older brothers. Ron's parents weren't as lenient as Sirius. Ron's family wouldn't just be angry at him for taking the Ford Anglia, they would be disappointed too. If Ron got expelled he would never be known for anything. Harry already had his own identity. The boy who lived wasn't a great identity, but at least it was one. If Harry got expelled he wouldn't be a nobody. No, he was Harry Potter! He was still famous, just not famous in the way he preferred. But Ron would always be known as Bill's little brother, or Fred's little brother. Ron would be a nobody if he got expelled.

But Harry had already lost his parents. And Hogwarts was his parents home, and now his home. All he ever wanted was to get to know his parents. To understand who they were. Would they be proud of him? Or disappointed? From what he gathered, he figured his mother would be disappointed. His mother was kind of like Hermione. And Hermione would not be pleased. But his dad. His father wouldn't be disappointed, but he wouldn't be proud either. He had learned his father was kind of like Sirius. But he didn't know what Sirius was feeling, much less his dead father.

He closed his eyes and had a silent pity party.

Professor McGonagall walked into the room with Professor Dumbledore and Snape. He looked back down at his hands. He knew what would greet him as he looked up. Piercing, accusing, cold eyes full of disappointment.

"Why did you do it?"

It would have been better if Dumbledore had yelled. The underlying disappointment gave Harry goosebumps.

"The barrier, sir. The barrier refused to let us through. We watched other witches and wizards go in through the barrier, but when we tried, it wouldn't let us through."

To say Harry was nervous was an understatement. He felt like he was going to wet his pants. The answers he gave determined whether he stayed at Hogwarts or went back home to Grimmauld Place.

"Don't you think you could have sent us an owl? I believe you have one."

Harry remembered Hedwig. Why didn't he think of that? It had been so obvious. But Harry knew why. He wanted to do what his father would have done.

"We didn't think of that Professor. We're really sorry."

Excuses. Lies. All of them. Harry was ashamed.

"We'll go get our stuff, sir."

This time it was Ron who spoke. It was clear he couldn't handle being yelled at any longer.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?"

Professor McGonagall directed towards Ron rather harshly.

"Well you are expelling us, aren't you?"

Professor McGonagall looked shocked.

"It's your lucky day Weasley. You're not getting expelled. But do expect two months worth of detention."

Harry lifted his head up rather quickly and looked at Professor McGonagall. He wasn't expelled. He wasn't expelled!

"We will still be writing letters to both your guardians. But no, Potter and Weasley. You're not expelled. Yet." She added the last part mischievously. "Now head on out to the feast. Not you Potter. Stay here. Weasley, no need to wait up."

Did she want to give Harry an even worse punishment? Oh no. She was going to dock house points too. No she couldn't. She did want Gryffindor to win the House cup, right? Last year came back to him in flashes. He couldn't go through that torture again. No. This time his title wasn't the boy who lived, or the orphan. No, he was Harry Potter the boy who lost Gryffindor 150 points.

"Please Professor. You can't take away points. I mean the year hasn't even started, really."

Harry couldn't deal with it again. The hateful glares, cruel eyes, and words harsh enough to send shivers down your back.

"No, Potter." Professor McGonagall looked amused at most. "I am not taking away points. I do want to beat Severus again this year. No, I wanted to say-" She hesitated for a moment wondering if whatever she was going to say was the right thing to say. "You would have made your father proud."

Harry's head shot up to meet Professor McGonagall's eyes. They bore a hole through him, but they were honest. His body filled head to toe with warmth. He grinned. He was smiling so brightly anyone next to him would have been blinded. It's funny how one sentence can change everything. No, the one sentence he craved to hear most changed everything.

"Now go join Weasley. I believe he is waiting at the feast."

Professor McGonagall excused him with a red tint on her cheeks. Harry walked out of the office but not before he looked back and saw Professor McGonagall giving him one of her rare smiles.

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It was the third day of term, and Hermione was still ignoring them. He spent the past two days scrubbing the bedpans in the Hospital Wing squeaky clean. Without magic. Yet Hermione refused to acknowledge them. She was deeply engaged in a conversation with Percy talking about new charms that are to be learned.

It was breakfast and he was starving. His stomach rumbled rather loudly and quickly helped himself to the a pile of pancakes and slowly drowned them in maple syrup.

Suddenly a huge screech erupted from above. An owl. Not one. Not two. But hundreds began flooding the great hall. He didn't see the striking snowy white owl, so he began to engage himself back to the pancakes. Was there actually a dry spot? He grabbed the maple syrup once again and made sure not a single spot was dry on the now soggy pancakes.

Next to him Ron gasped. Rather loudly at that too. He was holding a blood red envelope with shaky hands. Heads turned and Ron was met with many pitying glances. It seemed Harry was the only one who looked even remotely confused.

"You should open it now Ron. I once got a Howler from my Gran. I didn't open at once, and it was horrible." Neville gulped loudly at the end.

"A howler? Whats a howler?"

Harry questioned not liking being ignorant. They ignored him eyes still fixated on the howler. Ron hesitantly began to open it, clearly afraid of what would happen next.

"RONALD WEASLEY-"

Mrs. Weasley's yells were suddenly magnified. The spoons and plates began to rattle on the table and Mrs. Weasley's voice bounced back and forth echoing off the stone walls. People began to whisper and all eyes turned towards the Gryffindor table.

"-STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE-"

Everyone became silent. All taking, arguments, and fights had seized. Now, all heads had turned towards Ron, who sank into his seat trying so very hard not to be seen.

"-LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED-"

Harry was beginning to wonder when his name was going to pop up. He tried very hard to look at anything except Ron and the howler. At least Sirius hadn't given him a howler.

"-ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED - YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."

You could hear a pin drop in the silence. The Howler blew a raspberry at Ron, and then promptly burst into flames and curled into ashes.

Hermione looked up. Her face showed sympathy. Then she spoke the first words to us this year.

"Well I'm sorry that had to happen, but honestly Ron, don't you think you deserved it?"

Ron looked away rather unhappy at being told he deserved something he thought he clearly didn't.

Harry sighed. Well at least Hermione was talking to them again. He shivered recalling the howler. It was all his fault. He should have used Hedwig to send a letter to Dumbledore and McGonagall. But no, he had to want the limelight. He had to have what his dad had. He had to have attention. And now, Ran's in trouble all because of him.

A tawny owl came and pecked his ear. It was holding a letter. From Sirius. It was a howler.

Sweat dripped down his forehead. Sirius couldn't be mad at him. It wouldn't be fair. He got in even worse trouble when he was at school!

Now he wasn't the boy who lived anymore. Or the orphan. No, he wasn't even the kid who cost Gryffindor 150 points. Now he was the kid with the Howler.

He pulled the Howler up from his lap for Ron and Hermione to see. Hermione's eyes held sympathy. She sighed.

"You should get it over with, you know. Ron got his punishment, isn't it time you got yours?"

Harry silently agreed with her, but there was no way was he going to tell her she was right.

Ron on the other hand looked positively delighted at the prospect of Harry getting yelled at too. The stupid son of a banshee.

He wordlessly lifted his trembling hands and slit the howler open, embracing himself for the embarrassment coming towards him.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER-"

There it was. The full name at that too. Sirius' voice was one hundred times louder than it normally is, and that's saying a lot. The Slytherin table all turned their heads towards Harry and smirked at him in unison, getting excited for yet another show on Howler Embarrassment. The food jumped up clanging with the dining utensils next to it. All owls except for the tawny owl, who had obviously been expecting it, jumped and squeaked rather loudly. But not loud enough to top Sirius' voice. The professors all stared at him. Especially Snape with his midnight black greasy hair, hooked nose, and cold dead eyes. There was a cruel smirk dancing on his face.

"-THAT WAS BLOODY BRILLIANT!"

Of course he knew he deserved it but- wait what? Harry must have misheard something. For a second there he thought he heard Sirius say it was bloody brilliant.

"-I'M NOT EVEN MAD. I'M ACTUALLY IMPRESSED. MERLIN'S UNDERPANTS I'M PROUD-"

The feeling of warmth entered again bathing Harry head to toe. The Slytherin table had stopped smirking. Their jaws were on the ground. Hermione gave a little huff as if she knew it was to good to be true. Ron stared at the howler with utmost jealousy, probably wishing his parents were as awesome as Sirius.

"-YOU KNOW HARRY, I THINK THERE'S NO TIME BETTER THAN NOW. I DUB THEE, HARRY JAMES POTTER, MINI MARAUDER. I'M ACTUALLY CRYING. MY BABY BOY, ALL GROWN UP, BREAKING RULES WITH THE SNAP OF HIS FINGERS. YOU'RE FOLLOWING OUR LEGACY, AND I SPEAK FOR BOTH REMUS AND I WHEN I SAY WE ARE PROUD-"

Sirius was interrupted as a voice in the background began yelling.

"-SIRIUS NO! HOWLERS ARE SUPPOSED TO PUNISH SOMEONE. THEY AREN'T SUPPOSED TO PRAISE HARRY-"

"-REMUS I WILL DO WHAT I WANT TO DO. NOW HARRY WHERE WERE WE? TEARS OF JOY! SO PROUD. NOW I DON'T WANT YOU TO STOP AT THE CAR. KEEP GOING. RUIN SOMEONE'S POTION, FLY YOUR BROOMSTICK IN THE FORBIDDEN FOREST AND TRY TO CATCH UNICORNS. HONESTLY WHY DIDN'T JAMES AND I THINK OF FLYING A CAR TO SCHOOL? ABSOLUTELY GENIUS. OH AND CONGRATULATIONS TO RON TOO. JAMES WOULD BE PROUD!"

Ron and Harry both turned pink at Sirius' awful parenting skills. But Harry was absolutely delighted. _James would be proud. James would be proud. _The words echoed in his head. Bouncing off the walls his scull put up.

_James would be proud._ Those were the very words he had craved to hear all his life.

_James would be proud. _That's all he ever wanted. For his dad to be proud of him.

_James would be proud. _The grin never left Harry's face.

_James would be proud._


End file.
